I recently gained heightened awareness of the importance of universal design and aging in place through the travails of a loved one. Although I've designed numerous kitchens and baths with handicap access and other universal features, the importance of these features really hit home when I cared for my mom, who sustained a vertebral compression fracture and recuperated at home. Pain from her injury limited her mobility for many weeks.

 

Simple construction details such as thresholds and door swing directions were suddenly obstacles, and basic items such as throw rugs became hazards to be navigated and ultimately moved. After a long walk to the bathroom via a lengthy upstairs hallway, Mom was faced with the challenge of stepping into the shower, and then keeping herself upright with the help of a shower chair and temporary grab bars.

 

I wished every day that she had a bedroom suite that included a bathroom, to facilitate night time bathroom use, reduce the walk to the bathroom, and to make life easier for her in general. I also wished she had a built-in shower seat that would have provided a secure and stable place to rest.

 

A comfort height toilet proved much easier to use than a standard height toilet, as did a 34" high vanity that allowed for less bending and less pain.

 

Stairs were at first impossible, and then a huge challenge until Mom was stronger and steady enough to take them on. This was a big change for someone who had mowed her own lawn with a push mower right up until her injury. Although she did not use a wheelchair at home, use of a walker brought our attention to the value of adequate door widths to enable ease of movement, and to the fact that even the lowest of thresholds can seem like an obstacle lurking to trip someone up.

 

Fortunately, all of the medical offices and facilities we visited were well designed for handicap access - we found that almost all of her medical appointments were quite easy to handle due to thoughtful and practical design features. We did use a wheelchair for medical appointments to make getting around easier. One doctor's waiting room was very small and provided challenges for navigating with a wheelchair, but that was the exception.

 

Here are some important universal design features:

For more information about universal design, I highly recommend the North Carolina State University's Center for Universal Design web pages.

 

Built-in Shower Seating with a Handheld Spray Unit

Quite a bit of the design consultation and services that I now provide involve use of the internet and email. I regularly email product description links to clients, send project specifications to clients and builders rather than personally presenting or delivering them, and scan and email drafted floor plans. I probably do at least half of my shopping for furniture, art, and accessories online nowadays. And my clients can often view products online just as easily as I am able to.

 

Retail stores and "to the trade" sources have made ever increasingly useful product views and specifications available on their websites, creating a convenient way to shop for or to preview products.

 

Of course, there are pros and cons to the online approach. The advantages are fairly obvious:

Some of the disadvantages include:

• Lack of one-to-one contact, less personal.
• Email can potentially convey an unintended tone or can be misinterpreted more easily than a face-to-face conversation or presentation.
• The lapses between sent emails and replies can sometimes be less productive than a phone call or meeting.

I find myself frequently phoning clients to be sure they've received my emails and to follow up on information that I've sent and which might require a timely response.

 

There's even a trend to offer complete design consulting packages online. Based entirely upon the exchange of photos, specs and ideas via email and phone conversations, designers assist clients without ever physically viewing the client's home or office. A Washington Post article suggests that eDecorating seems to be working for a certain sector of the design community.

 

Although I may email links to illustrate options or selections, I always arrange for clients to view items in person before making purchases, and I always present fabric choices in person for custom furniture and window treatments. If a client is asking for advice on a retail product, I encourage him or her to obtain fabric or finish samples to confirm quality, color, etc.

 

Online services can work for designers as purchasers, too. I'm very accustomed to shopping for and ordering samples of fabrics and wallcoverings online. Sometimes, it seems like a new package from Kravet Fabrics arrives every other day! I frequently "pre-shop" online for furniture styles, plumbing fixtures, and appliances before I visit a showroom or make actual recommendations to clients.

 

And I nearly always verify availability for marble, granite and stone, ceramic tile, special lighting, and similar products by checking the manufacturer's or distributor's website. Doing so not only saves me time and travel, but it also helps me avoid recommending an item that may not be readily available to my client or a builder I may be working with.

 

While the internet has helped to add efficiencies to the interior design business, designers still must be adequately compensated for projects based upon the designers' time and resources used. Typically, it makes sense to work off a flat fee to avoid having to keep track of every minute spent shopping online, emailing the client, and the like. If billing hourly, an up-front budget target should be agreed upon, and designers should be sure to keep meticulous accounting of their time spent on projects.

 

The personal touch that's achieved by face-to-face meetings may not be possible through "e-design," but enthusiastic clients and designers can still allow their personalities to shine through and can still achieve fine results together, provided of course that project expectations are well defined from the very beginning.

 

Two of my very favorite books on architecture come from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

 

Master Builders - A Guide To Famous American Architects and What Style Is It? A Guide To American Architecture are both easy-to-read, informative guides on American architects and architecture, with excellent photos, illustrations and diagrams. Both are terrific resources for those who have studied or are studying architecture and design. Individuals with interest in architecture, but with no formal training, will likely also find the books to be very enjoyable and informative.

 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation was founded in 1949, and is dedicated to "saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities".

 

The organization's website offers some excellent resources, including e-newsletters and blogs, a calendar of events, volunteer and advocacy opportunities, green / sustainable information, and info about historic destinations and tours.

One can also sign up to receive the "Preservation" print magazine when joining as a member. Definitely an organization worth our time and attention..

 

Autodesk and the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) recently announced the People's Choice and Jury selections for the 2010 Student Sustainable Design Challenge.

 

Elana Willey, who attends California's San Joaquin Delta College, took home the People's Choice award for her “Ji Lekol, the Little Haitian School that Juice Built” design, and Ian Siegel, a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, took home the Jury award for his “Aluminum Disaster Relief Schoolhouse” design.

 

In recent years, temporary shelters for disaster-stricken and otherwise depressed communities have become a necessary focus area for the architectural profession. Temporary housing and community structures such as makeshift medical facilities have been built by numerous organizations and individuals along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, in tsunami-affected areas of Thailand, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and elsewhere during the past several years.

 

The Autodesk and AIAS design contest wanted to draw attention to these efforts by challenging design students in North America and other regions to develop sturdy, eco-friendly, single-room schools that could be easily constructed in Port-au-Prince with minimal construction experience and locally and inexpensively available materials.

 

Ms. Willey's and Mr. Siegel's school structures were selected as the most original and most cleverly designed and described entries by peers and a panel of judges, respectively. Entrants were required to abide by a number of different design criteria and use Autodesk's Revit® Architecture software and Ecotect® Analysis software when creating their design concepts.

 

Although it's not my primary line of work, I recently staged a home for a client who was planning to put her home on the market. The plan was long-term; there was no need for an immediate move, and the client had plenty of time for renovations.

 

In this particular case, the staging and preparation for showing her home included two bathroom renovations, a complete interior paint job, an evaluation and placement of the client’s existing furnishings and accessories, and selection of new furniture pieces and accessories to create an appealing look that would not come across as either too fussy or too crowded.

 

The house was open and contemporary, with a kitchen that needed only some minor carpentry work and repairs, but with a master bathroom and guest bathroom that were very dark and dated. The client was amenable to gutting the bathrooms, and I selected tile, granite, vanities and plumbing fixtures that created a neutral, light and airy feeling in each bath. I also redesigned the master bathroom to allow for a good size walk-in closet off the master bedroom, which I felt would excite prospective home buyers.

 

For paint specs, we went with warm neutrals that would appeal to just about any potential buyer, providing some color while not overwhelming with color. Working within the client’s budget, I selected furniture, area rugs, lamps, bedding and accessories to pull everything together. We were able to use most of the client’s furniture but removed some older, darker pieces and numerous extras that were hanging around such as baskets, old lamps, old rugs, and the like.

 

The result is well organized and nicely contemporary, but with plenty of warm colors and welcoming touches. The client and realtor were each very pleased with the renovations and staging.

 

With the few clients that I've worked with to prepare their homes for sale, my experience has been that homeowners can accomplish quite a lot with a small investment in design consulting services, paint, and accessorizing.

 

I’d love to hear from other designers who may have branched into staging, or who even focus primarily on staging, and what their typical staging jobs entail.

 

Over 80 awards for top contract furnishing products were recently announced during NeoCon® 2010 in Chicago. It was the 21st year for the "Best of NeoCon" awards, co-sponsored this year by Contract magazine, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and McMorrowReport.com.

 

Products were judged by a group of management executives from corporate, government and institutional facilities along with selected international designers and architects. The 45 jurors were split up into eight different teams, with each team visiting the product showrooms and market suites to view and judge the products in person. More than 325 products from a total of 39 different product categories were evaluated and judged.

 

This year's highly coveted Best of Competition award was given to Wilkhahn, a German company, for their office seating technology which they call ON^®.

 

Five years in the making, the ON series 170 office chairs utilize swivel points that precisely follow movements of the seated individual's knee and hip joint positions at any point in time, yielding what Wilkhahn describes as a "perfect and synchronous movement concept using innovative, synchro-supporting 3D kinematics".

 

 

 

To see all award winners, visit Contract Design's Best of NeoCon 2010 page.

On a recent visit to one of my stone and countertop suppliers, I started looking at some wonderful glass products that offer beautiful and environmentally friendly alternatives to stone. I specified Bio Glass for a kitchen and bar area countertop and adjacent family room fireplace surround in a seaside home in the color "Oriental Jade," which picked up on the aqua color of the nearby ocean.

 

The unique, translucent qualities of Bio Glass are produced by recycling hollow glass, tableware and factory shards, and the results are reminiscent of sea glass.

 

The possibilities for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops, shower seats, bar tops, and even walls and partitions are very exciting. The really wonderful thing about Bio Glass is that it offers a fresh and new approach for countertops and other surfaces.

 

Another product that offers recycled glass and great possibilities is Vetrazzo, from a company named Polycor. With a great website and a story behind each product, the Vetrazzo line offers countertops and surfaces for residential and commercial use.

 

Vetrazzo uses 100% recycled glass - most of the glass used for Vetrazzo products comes from curbside recycling, and 85% of the finished product is made from the recycled glass (the other 15% being cement, additives and pigments). The product selection ranges from finely grained to "chippy".

 

My current favorite is "Charisma Blue with Patina," which is made from recycled beer, wine and soda bottles. The color descriptions for each variation are really fun to read, and are powerful reminders of how effective recycling can be.

 

Another company, Fireclay Tile, offers products with recycled content. I particularly like their "Debris" tile, which is fashioned from recycled glass bottles. The Debris series is available in more than 100 fantastic glaze colors and in several sizes, shapes, trims and decorative options. The company is also developing a countertop surface called "Bottlestone" with 80% post-consumer recycled glass content. "Bottlestone" looks like it will offer a fine-grained appearance (rather than chunks of glass) in four unique colors.

 

Yet another company, Stardust Glass, offers tile with very high recycled glass content (87-97%), using pre-consumer recycled glass that is collected and harvested within 250-500 miles of the company's manufacturing facility that's located in Portland, Oregon.

 

With a wide variety of fun colors and shapes, Stardust offers some terrific ways to use tile in kitchen and bath design, as well as solutions for fireplace surrounds, floors, tiled walls and more. Commercial applications are highly possible as well, for interesting counter/service areas, funky commercial bathroom designs, and beautiful display areas.

 

With the renewed focus on "small is good"
in residential construction and renovation, galley kitchens come to mind.

 

In condos, apartments and homes with smaller footprints, galley kitchens can serve as wonderful spaces to incorporate first rate design elements without breaking the bank. Designs can range from urban sophistication to simple Shaker style, and can really highlight the materials used for basic elements:

 

Floors - Natural stone or ceramic/porcelain tile, hardwood, bamboo, cork. Hardwood or tile patterns can accent and define the space to play up the geometry and individuality of a small area. Conversely, if desired, material can flow from adjacent rooms to make small spaces seem less confined and to create a connection.

 

Countertops - Natural stone, man-made surfaces, concrete, recycled glass products, butcher block. In small quantities, countertop materials can seem really special and are fun to light up with accent lighting.

 

Backsplashes - Ceramic/porcelain, natural stone tile, metal, glass, mirror. A great place for creative and specialized designs. The fairly small area of backsplash in a galley kitchen is a terrific opportunity to give a "wow" factor.

 

Cabinets - Light to dark, simple to ornate. Tall upper cabinets, often in simple styles, make the most of galley space and unify the kitchen.

 

Ceilings - Decorative paint colors or treatments. Imagine the possibilities of murals or faux treatments on the ceiling.

 

Walls - Subdued or dramatic, paint or wallpaper. The wall color will wrap up and define the overall results.

 

Lighting - Ceiling fixtures, rail lighting systems, and pendant lighting. Selections will accent the overall look, whether it's retro, contemporary, country, or something else. Remember undercabinet lighting for tasks at countertop.

 

Galley kitchens may or may not include windows - advantages, of course, being the natural light provided and the openness and connection to the outdoors, and cons being that you lose cabinet or storage space.

 

Powder Room and small bathroom design similarly offers great outlets for creativity and focus upon materials and finishes. Depending upon materials, colors and finishes, powder rooms can be dressy and dramatic, whimsical, tailored - you name it.

 

The key to small kitchen and bath design is attention to detail - let each element matter, and coordinate the elements and materials to work together to produce cohesive, beautiful results.

 

One of the most important aspects of kitchen and bath design or renovation projects is lighting. All of the other elements of a great kitchen or bath - cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, countertops, tile, paint or wallpaper - will not live up to their potential without good lighting. Kitchen tasks are much easier with good lighting, and bathroom lighting is especially important at the vanity/mirror area. Consideration for optimal lighting at different times of day is important as well.

 

Layered lighting for either kitchen or bath is an optimal solution. General, or ambient lighting can be provided by recessed and/or surface-mounted ceiling fixtures. It's important to avoid shadows at main task areas in the kitchen, so the placement of recessed lighting in relation to cabinets, countertops, and islands is crucial. General lighting is enhanced with task lighting for key areas.

 

For example, at the kitchen sink or at island/bar areas, pendant lighting or rail lighting can add just the right amount of additional illumination. The many varied options available for pendant or rail lighting present a wonderful opportunity to add interest or fun to the overall decor.

 

Undercabinet lighting is very useful for food prep, clean-up and other tasks at countertop areas, and can be virtually invisible in LED, line voltage or low voltage options.

 

To avoid shadows and dark zones in the bathroom, vanity lighting or wall sconces in addition to basic ceiling lighting are important, and offer great design options. The selections for vanity lights and wall sconces are almost endless, from simple, super low budget options to high end choices with wonderful metal and glass finishes. The coordination of plumbing fixtures, light fixtures and cabinet hardware will take the bath design to a professional, finished look.

 

One of the most useful articles I've read on bathrooom lighting is from "This Old House" and I refer to it occasionally when working on bath design projects since it addresses not only types of vanity and shower/bath lighting, but bulb types, dimmers, and safety as well. It's a great summary of the key aspects of lighting.

 

For many interior design and architecture students and professionals, books by Francis D. Ching have proven to be extremely useful resources. His Design Drawing and Building Construction Illustrated are often required or recommended reading material for design students.

 

Ching's illustrations, descriptions and discussions on the topic of drawing basics in Design Drawing reflect an ease and simplicity that certainly gave me confidence in my own sketches and drawings, and his coverage of building construction provides a common sense and practical overview of building technology, emphasizing that one must be familiar with construction practices before one can actually design something that would be feasible or buildable.

 

One of the first books required as part of my four-year interior design studies at Cornell was Ching's Building Construction Illustrated which emphasized the important relationships between construction, technology, and design.

 

Ching's books have been updated over the years to reflect changes and advances in sustainable practices, building technology, building code, and in CAD software applications. A number of Ching's books are available with a companion CD-ROM which adds three dimensional demonstrations and applications of the material covered in the books. The timelessness of his drawings and written content keep the material fresh and relevant.

 

Other Ching classics, Architecture: Form, Space and Order and A Visual Dictionary of Architecture present invaluable written and visual information regarding the vocabulary and elements of architecture and design. These books offer budding architecture and design students, as well as practicing professionals, a review of the fundamental principles of architecture, and describe the relationships between components of building, architecture, and design.

 

The books I've listed are but a few of his works.

 

Francis Ching is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington's Department of Architecture. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame in 1966, and began his teaching career in 1972 at Ohio University. Mr. Ching has taught at the University of Washington for the past 20 years, teaching design studio and drawing courses. Here's his profile.